Overview

• Airi Sato, a 22-year-old YouTuber, was fatally stabbed while livestreaming in Tokyo's Shinjuku district on March 11, 2025.
• The suspect, Kenichi Takano, 42, was arrested at the scene and reportedly tracked Sato's location by identifying landmarks in her livestream.
• Police revealed that Takano and Sato had known each other since 2021 and had a financial dispute over an unpaid debt of over ¥2 million (approximately $13,500).
• Witnesses and viewers of the livestream reported hearing Sato's screams before the feed abruptly went dark; she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
• Takano allegedly stabbed Sato more than 30 times, primarily in the neck and chest, and claimed he did not intend to kill her despite the severity of the attack.